Surface processing device

ABSTRACT

A surface processing device comprising at least: a cylinder-shaped blast housing provided with the 1st opening and the 2nd opening; an annular vacuum seal which seals the gap between the blast housing and the object surface; a nozzle which injects surface processing substances toward the object surface; a parallel motion mechanism to make the nozzle be reciprocated in parallel along the object surface; a sheet belt for covering the 2nd opening; and a vacuum generating means for decompressing the space enclosed by the object surface, the blast housing, the vacuum seal and the sheet belt. Therein, a traveling means such as drive wheels is provided, the parallel motion mechanism to make the nozzle be reciprocated in parallel along the object surface in a direction that intersects with the traveling direction of the surface processing device, and the nozzle is also reciprocated in a direction that intersects with the direction in which the nozzle is reciprocated in parallel along the object surface.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to a surface processing device capable of removing foreign matter, such as an old coating or rust, stuck onto the object surface, or of roughening the object surface, by ejecting the high pressure fluid such as water, or the high pressure fluid mixed with abrasives, toward the object surface.

The present invention also relates to a surface processing device capable of coating the thermal spray material such as aluminum alloy on the object surface by ejecting the thermal spray material fused toward the object surface.

The present invention also relates to a surface processing device capable of removing foreign matter, such as old coating or rust, stuck onto the object surface, or of roughening the object surface, by ejecting the high pressure fluid such as water or the high pressure fluid mixed with abrasives, toward the object surface, while suction-adhering to the object surface by the pressure of the ambient fluid such as air or water and moving along the object surface.

The present invention also relates to a surface processing device capable of coating the thermal spray material such as aluminum alloy on the object surface by ejecting the thermal spray material fused toward the object surface, while suction-adhering to the object surface by the pressure of the ambient fluid such as air or water and moving along the object surface.

BACKGROUND ART

So far, ultrahigh pressure water jetting equipment and sand blasting equipment have been put to practical use as surface processing devices which eject the high pressure fluid such as water or the high pressure fluid mixed with abrasives, toward the object surface such as an oil storage tank or a ship hull, thereby removing foreign matter such as old coating or rust, stuck onto the object surface, or roughening the object surface with the abrasives ejected, to make the object surface ready for coating; or a device for cleaning the object surface to carry out non-destructive testing.

In the specification and drawings of Japan Examined Patent Application Publication No. S60-26752—U.S. Pat. No. 4,095,378 or the specification and drawings of Japan Published Patent Application No. H09-76156—U.S. Pat. No. 5,904,612, there is disclosed the device which can be exemplified as a surface cleaning device which ejects the high pressure fluid such as water or the high pressure fluid mixed with abrasives, toward the object surface while suction-adhering to the object surface by the pressure of the ambient fluid such as air or water and moving along the object surface, thereby removing foreign matter, such as old coating or rust, stuck onto the object surface, or roughening the object surface with the abrasives ejected, to make the object surface ready for coating; or a device for cleaning the object surface to carry out non-destructive testing.

Such a device comprises a blast housing, wheels as traveling means mounted on the blast housing, a vacuum seal connected to the blast case and having its free end portion adapted to make contact with the object surface, and the vacuum generating means for discharging the fluid from the pressure reduction space defined by the blast housing, the object surface and the vacuum seal.

When the vacuum generating means is energized in this device, the fluid within the pressure reduction space is discharged outside, and the pressure of the fluid acting on the blast housing of the device owing to the difference in fluid pressure between the inside and the outside of the pressure reduction space is transmitted to the object surface via the wheels, and the fluid pressure causes the device to suction-adhere to the object surface.

When, in this suction-adhering state, the wheels are rotated by driving means such as an electric motor, the device moves along the object surface of the device by the action of the wheels.

Further, such a device is provided with a working unit of an abrasives-blasting means such as a nozzle which ejects abrasives to the object surface.

[Patent Reference 1] Japan Examined Patent Application Publication No. S60-26752

[Patent Reference 2] U.S. Pat. No. 4,095,378

[Patent Reference 3] Japan Published Patent Application No. H09-76156

[Patent Reference 4] U.S. Pat. No. 5,904,612

So far, the twin-wire-arc thermal spray equipment or the high velocity flame spray equipment have been put to the practical use as the surface coating devices which form the coating of thermal spray material such as aluminum alloy on the object surface by ejecting the thermal spray material fused toward the object surface such as an oil storage tank or a ship hull.

The twin-wire-arc thermal spray equipment uses the DC arc as the source of heat, and the thermal spray material fused by the arc generated in the thermal spray nozzle unit is ejected toward the object surface by the action of compressed gas.

The high velocity flame spray equipment uses burning flame which consists of oxygen and hydrocarbon fuel as the source of heat, and the thermal spray material fused by the burning flame generated in the thermal spray nozzle unit is ejected toward the object surface by the action of the burning gas.

In Japanese Patent No. 4232946 or U.S. Pat. No. 8,127,703, there is disclosed the device which can be exemplified as a surface coating device which forms the coating of thermal spray material such as aluminum alloy on the object surface by ejecting the thermal spray material fused toward the object surface such as an oil storage tank or a ship hull while suction-adhering to the object surface by the pressure of the ambient fluid such as air or water and moving along the object surface.

Such a device comprises a blast housing, wheels as traveling means mounted on the blast housing, the vacuum seal connected to the blast case and having its free end portion adapted to make contact with the object surface, and the vacuum generating means for discharging the fluid from the pressure reduction space defined by the blast housing, the object surface and the vacuum seal.

When the vacuum generating means is energized in this device, the fluid within the pressure reduction space is discharged outside, and the pressure of the fluid acting on the blast housing of the device owing to the difference in fluid pressure between the inside and the outside of the pressure reduction space is transmitted to the object surface via the wheels, and the fluid pressure causes the device to suction-adhere to the object surface.

When, in this suction-adhering state, the wheels are rotated by driving means such as the electric motor, the device moves along the object surface of the device by the action of the wheels.

Further, such a device is provided with the working unit of the abrasives-blasting means such as the nozzle which ejects abrasives to the object surface.

Furthermore, such a device is provided with the working unit of the thermal spraying means such as the nozzle which ejects the thermal spray material fused toward the object surface.

[Patent Reference 1] JAPAN Patent No. 4232946

[Patent Reference 2] U.S. Pat. No. 8,127,703

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

In each of the above-mentioned patents such as Japan Examined Patent Application Publication No. S60-26752—U.S. Pat. No. 4,095,378, Japan Published Patent Application No. H09-76156—U.S. Pat. No. 5,904,612, Japanese Patent No. 4232946 and U.S. Pat. No. 8,127,703, there is disclosed the equipment provided with the nozzle unit as the abrasives blasting means or the thermal spray material ejecting means of which means is provided with the traveling means which travels along the object surface. Each of the nozzle units is equipped with the reciprocation mechanism by which is repeated the reciprocation of the nozzle unit in the direction which intersects with the traveling direction of the traveling means.

Technical solved problem of this invention is to provide an efficient surface processing device which prevents the processing unevenness on the object surface.

The surface processing device is provided with two kinds of the reciprocation mechanism of the nozzle unit, by one reciprocation mechanism of which is repeated the reciprocation of the nozzle unit in one direction which intersects with the traveling direction of the traveling means, and by another reciprocation mechanism of which is repeated the reciprocation of the nozzle unit in another direction which intersects with the traveling direction of the traveling means.

This invention provides a surface processing device comprising at least as follows to solve the above-mentioned problem;

A cylinder-shaped blast housing provided with the 1st opening which is formed on the side which faces the object surface and the 2nd opening which is formed on the opposite side of the object surface; an annular vacuum seal which is provided with the 1st opening and which seals the gap between the blast housing and the object surface; a nozzle which injects surface processing substances such as abrasives or thermal spray coating material toward the object surface; a parallel motion mechanism to make the nozzle be reciprocated in parallel along the object surface; a sheet belt for covering the 2nd opening and which is provided with the hole the nozzle pierces; and a vacuum generating means for decompressing the space enclosed by the object surface, the blast housing, the vacuum seal and the sheet belt. Therein, a traveling means such as drive wheels is provided, the parallel motion mechanism to make the nozzle be reciprocated in parallel along the object surface in a direction that intersects with the traveling direction of the surface processing device, and the nozzle is also reciprocated in a direction that intersects with the direction in which the nozzle is reciprocated in parallel along the object surface.

This invention causes the following effect.

The surface processing device of this invention, provided with the nozzle unit such as the abrasives blasting nozzle unit or the thermal spray material ejecting nozzle unit of which nozzle unit is provided with the traveling means which travels along the object surface, is the efficient surface processing device which prevents the processing unevenness on the object surface by the following mechanism of this invention.

The surface processing device of this invention is provided with two kinds of the reciprocation mechanism of the nozzle unit, by one reciprocation mechanism of which is repeated the reciprocation of the nozzle unit in one direction which intersects with the traveling direction of the traveling means, and by another reciprocation mechanism of which is repeated the reciprocation of the nozzle unit in another direction which intersects with the traveling direction of the traveling means.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

A preferred embodiment of the device constructed in accordance with the present invention will be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

With reference to FIGS. 1 to 9, the illustrated device has a blast housing 21 of which section is oval cylindrical shape and of which inside is hollow, and a vacuum seal mounting plate 22 is welded to the 1st opening which faces the object surface 01, and a vacuum seal 23 is fixed to the vacuum seal mounting plate 22. A cylinder mounting plate 221 is welded to the 2nd opening which is opposite to the object surface 01.

The 2nd opening plate 211 of which section is oval is also welded to the 2nd opening. Two rodless air cylinders 33 are fixed on the cylinder mounting plate 221. Two rodless air cylinders 33 and a reciprocating plate 34 which connects two slide tables 331 of each rodless air cylinders consist of it as a reciprocation mechanism by which is repeated the reciprocation of a nozzle unit 31 which ejects abrasives toward the surface object 01 by the action of compressed air.

The reciprocating plate 34 is equipped with a square hole where the axis of the hole is tilted to 45 degrees to the reciprocating direction of the reciprocating plate 34. Each of two pins 44 is welded to each of opposite ends of the reciprocating plate 34 straddled the square hole.

Each hole of two rod-end pillows 43 is inserted to each of pins 44 in the state that the rod-end pillows swing freely, and each bolt of the two rod-end pillows 43 is fixed to a nozzle swing plate 41. Head bracket of a head trunnion air cylinder 42 is fixed on the 90 degrees bent part of the nozzle swing plate 41, and piston-rod-end of the head trunnion air cylinder is connected to the reciprocating plate 34 by a pin.

Therefore, when the head trunnion air cylinder 42 is reciprocated repeatedly, the nozzle swing plate 41 repeats swinging successively. The nozzle swing plate 41 has a round hole 411 which a nozzle of the nozzle unit 31 pierces, and a flange of the nozzle unit is fixed on the nozzle swing plate 41.

The 2nd opening 211 is provided with a sheet belt 35 that covers the 2nd opening. The sheet belt 35 is suspended by four follower pulleys 36 and two ends of the sheet belt are fixed to the reciprocating plate 34. Therefore, when the head trunnion air cylinder 42 is reciprocated repeatedly, the nozzle swing plate 41 repeats swinging successively.

The sheet belt 35 has a round hole 351 which a nozzle of the nozzle unit 31 pierces and has an oval hole 352 which a blast hose of the nozzle unit 31 pierces. There provided the rubber bellows 45, of which section is square, between the round hole 351 of the sheet belt 35 and the round hole 411 of the nozzle swing plate 41.

Therefore, the internal space of the rubber bellows 45 is connected with the internal space of the blast housing 21.

Each of the mounting plate 22 of the vacuum seal, the mounting plate 221 of the rod-less air cylinder and the 2nd opening plate 211 is formed as a part of the blast housing 21. The vacuum seal 23 is formed from the relatively flexible material such as polyurethane and the section shape of the vacuum seal that it is seen from the object surfaces 01 is oval circular shape. The vacuum seal 23 defines the pressure reduction space 02 in cooperation with the object surface 01, the blast housing 21, the vacuum seal mounting plate 22, the rod-less air cylinder mounting plate 221, the 2nd opening plate 211 and the sheet belt 35.

A suction hose connecting pipe 222 is welded to the vacuum seal mounting plate 22 and is connected to a vacuum generating means (not shown) such as a vacuum pump via a suction hose (not shown). Therefore, when the vacuum generating means (not shown) is energized, a fluid such as the air inside the pressure reduction space 02 is discharged to the outside through the suction hose (not shown) and thus the pressure reduction space 02 is reduced in pressure as desired.

On each side of the upper side and the lower side of the blast housing 21 is mounted a traveling frame 10. Each traveling frame 10 is provided with a geared motor 13, a large drive wheel and a small drive wheel. The large drive wheel and the small drive wheel are rotated by the geared motor 13 via a sprockets 14 and a roller chain 15.

Next, the action of the above-described device will be explained briefly. When the vacuum generating means (not shown) is energized, a fluid such as the air inside the pressure reduction space 02 is discharged to the outside through the suction hose (not shown), and as the result, the pressure reduction space 02 is reduced in pressure as desired.

Once the pressure reduction space 02 is thus reduced in pressure, the pressure of an ambient fluid such as the air, acting on the blast housing 21, owing to the difference in fluid pressure between the inside and outside of the pressure reduction space 02, is transmitted to the object surface 01 via the wheels 11 and 12. In this manner, the device of the present invention is caused to suction-adhere to the object surface 01 by the pressure of the ambient fluid.

In the 2nd opening 211 is mounted the nozzle unit 31 which ejects abrasives toward the object surface 01. The device of this invention is provided with two kinds of the reciprocation mechanism of the nozzle unit, by one reciprocation mechanism of which is repeated the reciprocation of the nozzle unit in one direction which intersects with the traveling direction of the device of this invention, and by another reciprocation mechanism of which is repeated the reciprocation of the nozzle unit in another direction which intersects with the traveling direction of the device of this invention.

Or, the nozzle unit 31 repeats two continuous reciprocating motions in two directions each of which intersects with the traveling direction of the device of this invention.

As described above, the sheet belt 35 suspended to the four follower pulleys 36 is fitted to the nozzle unit 31 and also repeats a reciprocating motion continuously with the continuous reciprocating motion of the nozzle unit 31. At this time, that surface of the sheet belt which faces the 2nd opening 211 is brought into contact with the edge surface of the 2nd opening 211 owing to the difference in fluid pressure between the inside and outside of the pressure reduction space 02 to cover the whole of the 2nd opening, and the continuous reciprocating motion is repeated while the 2nd opening is maintained in a covered condition by the contact.

The above description of the preferred embodiments of the device in the present invention may be used on surfaces present in the air, but it is also feasible that the device of the invention is also usable in water. When the device is used in water, a water pump and a water-driving ejector can be employed for the vacuum generating means.

The present invention has been described in detail with reference to the embodiments, but is not limited to these embodiments. Various modifications or changes may be made within the scope of the claims in the present invention. For example, the sheet belt 35 described in the above embodiments has a shape of the flat belt in at least the portions contacting with the 2nd opening 211 the other portion of the belt 35 may have holes.

Further, it is possible to use a flat belt or a flat plate in place of the endless sheet belt suspended to the pulleys 36 when a stroke of the reciprocating motion of the nozzle is short.

The surface processing device of this invention is provided with the ultra-high pressure water-jetting nozzle unit or the abrasives blasting nozzle unit of which nozzle units eject the high pressure fluid such as water or eject the high pressure fluid mixed with abrasives toward the object surface such as an oil storage tank or a ship hull, thereby the device can remove foreign matter such as old coating or rust stuck onto the object surface, and the device can also roughen the object surface to make the object surface ready for coating, or the device can clean the object surface to carry out the non-destructive testing.

Further, the surface processing device of this invention can be provided with the thermal spraying nozzle unit which ejects the thermal spray material fused toward the object surface.

Described as follows the very important effect of the device of this invention, the surface processing device can prevent the processing unevenness on the object surface because the device is provided with two kinds of the reciprocation mechanism of the nozzle unit, by one reciprocation mechanism of which is repeated the reciprocation of the nozzle unit in one direction which intersects with the traveling direction of the device, and by another reciprocation mechanism of which is repeated the reciprocation of the nozzle unit in another direction which intersects with the traveling direction of the device.

The surface processing device can be used conveniently in the field which is wide range, while the device is suction-adhering to the object surface by the pressure of the ambient fluid such as air or water and moving along the object surface.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a preferred embodiment of the device constructed in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a base figure of the device shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on line A-A in the device shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken on line B-B in the device shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a partially sectional view taken on line C-C in the device shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a view taken on line D-D in the device shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 7 is a partially enlarged sectional view taken on line E-E in the device shown in FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a partially enlarged sectional view taken on line F-F in the device shown in FIG. 6.

FIG. 9 is a partially enlarged sectional view taken on line G-G in the device shown in FIG. 4.

REFERENCE NUMERALS OR MARKES

surface 01, space 02, frame 10, wheel 11, wheel 12, geared motor 13, sprocket 14, roller chain 15, blast housing 21, the 2nd opening 211, vacuum seal mounting plate 22, cylinder mounting plate 221, suction hose connecting pipe 222, vacuum seal 23, nozzle unit 31, rodless air cylinder 33, slide tables rodless air cylinder 331, reciprocating plate 34, endless sheet belt 35, round hole 351, oval hole 352, follower pulley 36, nozzle swing plate 41, round hole 411, head trunnion air cylinder 42, rod-end pillows 43, pins 44, rubber bellows 45 

1. A surface processing device, comprising: a cylinder-shaped blast housing provided with the 1st opening which is formed on the side which faces the object surface and the 2nd opening which is formed on the opposite side of the object surface; an annular vacuum seal which is provided with the 1st opening and which seals the gap between the blast housing and the object surface; a nozzle which injects surface processing substances such as abrasives or thermal spray coating material toward the object surface; a parallel motion mechanism to make the nozzle be reciprocated in parallel along the object surface; a sheet belt for covering the 2nd opening and which is provided with the hole the nozzle pierces; and a vacuum generating means for decompressing the space enclosed by the object surface, the blast housing, the vacuum seal and the sheet belt, wherein a traveling means such as drive wheels is provided, the parallel motion mechanism to make the nozzle be reciprocated in parallel along the object surface in a direction that intersects with the traveling direction of the surface processing device, and the nozzle is also reciprocated in a direction that intersects with the direction in which the nozzle is reciprocated in parallel along the object surface. 